Senator Risch says US must continue responding to Russian activities in Georgia, Ukraine with sanctions

New Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch says that the US must preserve its sanctions against Russia because of its illegal activities in Ukraine and Georgia.

Russia is guilty of bad behavior regularly,” Risch told the Charlotte Observer, alluding Russia’s military activities in Georgia, Crimea, Ukraine and other incidents.

It is the conduct we have to respond to. Our best (approach), short of kinetic action which nobody wants to do, is sanctions. That’s what we’ve done and that’s why we did it.”

Deputy US Ambassador to UN Jonathan Cohen has stated this week that the US will preserve its sanctions against Russia until Kiev restores its control over Donbass and Crimea, the area which are now occupied by Russia.

Hundreds of Russian people and companies have faced sanctions in the wake of the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

Up to 700 individuals on the list face limits on their travel and have their assets frozen.

Top Russian companies have also been banned from receiving financing through American banks and markets.

Russia-Georgia war took place in the summer of 2008, after which it recognised  the two occupied regions of Georgia Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent republics.

Only Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria have shared the Russian position regarding the regions so far. The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia.

Venezuela may revoke the recognition if its interim government manages to preserve power.

Russia launched its aggressive activities in Ukraine in 2014, following the civil unrest in the country, protesting the decision of then government not to sign the Association Agreement with the EU.